Combination step and extension ladder.



PATBNTED MAR. 20, 1906.

P. 0; PLASTER. COMBINATION STEP AND EXTENSION LADDER.

APPLIOATION I'ILI ED MAR. 25, 1905.

2 SHEETSSHIEHT 1.

ZZZ/w No. 815,736. PATENTED MAR. 20, 1906. P. c. PLASTER. I

COMBINATION STEP AND EXTENSION LADDER.

- APPLICATION FILED MAR.25, 1906,

2, SHEETS-SHEET 2,

I MW desi 'ned to be used either as ordinary lean- UNITED sirArEs PATENTonrron.

PURL o. PLASTER', or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF Two- THIRDSTO'JOHN MILTON MOORE, 70F OROMWELL, "INDIANA.

COMBINATION "STEP AND EXTENSION LADDER.

l Specification of Letters-Patent.

lratented March 20, 1906.

, Application filed. March 25,.1905- Serial No. 251 ,934.

ing adders or'as propped step-ladders, and

the invention has reference particularly to the means whereby the; propsof the step-lad 1 ders are connected thereto and converted intoextensions thereof, the invention also relating to minor features of theapparatus. I

Objects of the invention are to provide improved folding step-ladderswhich may be readily converted into leaning or wall ladders withincreased range of usefulness, to provide 7 step-ladders that may bepropped and used on stairways or the like with ease and safety,

and 'to provide combined step and exten- 'sion' ladders at relativelysmall cost and Y which will be durable and economical inuse.

With the above-mentioned objects in'view the invention consists in astep-ladder having a ladder form of prop pivoted'thereto and providedwith automaticlatches for securing the prop when extended as a ladderpart of the step-ladder, and also provided with an? tomatic latches forsecuring the, prop against movements when adjusted for use as a prop tothe step-ladder; and, further, the invention consis'ts'in the novelparts andv the combinations and arrangements of parts, ashoreinafterparticularly described and claimed;

Referring to the drawings, Figure '1 is a side elevation of theinvention having an ex tensible ladder-prop andset up as a proppedstep-ladder Fig. 2, atop plan thereof; Fig. 3, a side elevation oftheinvention set up as a wallor leaning ladder without the extensible part.of the ladder-prop; Fig. '4 a fragmentary top plan of the step-ladder,as

shown in Fig. 2 Fig. 5, a side elevation of the i invention includingthe extensible ladderprop as arranged on a stairway. Fig. 6, a

1 Fig. 7, a vertical sectional view of the ladder fragmentary frontelevation of the ladder;

: on the line in 2 Fig. 8, a fragmentary sectional view on-the line B Bin F1g 4; Fig. 9, afragmentary side elevation reproducing the upperportions of Figs. 1 and 5; Fig. 10, a fragmentary horizontal sectionalview on the line C C in Fig. 3; Fig. 11, a fragmentary rear elevation ofthe ladder arranged as in Figs. 1 or 5 Fig. 12, a fragmentary sectionalview on the line C C in Fig. 3, with the difference'that the latch fortheladder-prop is open ready for folding the prop from its extendedposition to a position opposite the.

step-ladder part; Fig. 13, a perspective view of one of themainsupports; Fig. 14, a perspective view. of one of theextension-ladder latches; Fig. 15, a perspective view of one of theprop-latches, and Fig. 16 a fragmentary side elevation showing amodified form of pivot for the ladder-prop.

Similar reference characters in the drawings designate correspondingparts or features.

In construction the step-ladder part of the 'apparatuscomprises a pairof side pieces D and D, to which are secured a suitable number of flatsteps a and a platform I) somewhat broader than the steps, the platformbeing on the tops of the side pieces. A pair of the inner sides of theupper portions of the side iecesand extend'to the under side of mainsupports E and E are secured against the p atform and partially supportit, and the supports have studs 0 and c for connecting the platformthereto in a well-known manner. The lower portions of the supports haveeach anintegral thimble d, that extends through the adjacent sidepiece'D or D, and the upper portions of the supports are each providedwith a bracket e, to which is attached a pivot f, that extends upthrough the platform the top of the pivot having lugs 9 attached to theouter sides thereof. A horizontal flange h of the su port extends to anend of the platform I) an 1s provided with an ear 6, that standsvertically against the end of the platform and is provided with apivot-hole j. Each support is also provided with a stud k, that isattached to the top thereof at a suitable distance from the pivot f andextends through the platform I). i v

The ladder-pro part of the apparatus comprises a pair of side pieces Fand F, to which are attached a suitable number of rounds Z, the sidebars being connected to the side bars D and D by removable pivot-pins mand m, which extend through the thimbles d and through bushes d, thatare inserted in holes in the side pieces F F. The pivot-pins areretained by cotters n, inserted in their ends. The pivotal points arearranged at some distance from the upper ends of the side bars and alsonear the rear edges of the side bars D D and near the forward edges ofthe side bars F F. Additional bushed pivotholes g are provided in theside bars F F,

and the side bars are reinforced near the pivot-holes by plates p and2), attached to the edges thereof. The to s of the side pieces F F areprovided wit latch-pieces 1" and 1", having each a notch s in the topthereof. Latches G and G are connected to the ears i by pivots t,secured in the holes j of the ears, the latches being adapted to fall bygravity into 'the notches s of the latch-pieces when the ladder-prop isarranged as a rop for the step-ladder part in order to holc the prop inthe desired position relative to the other part of the step-ladder. Whenthe prop-latches are disengaged from the prop, the latter may be movedon its pivots so as to swing upwardly and form an extended leaningladder in connection with the step part, as in Fig. 3.

The devices for holding the step part and r the prop part in theirproper relative positions to form together a leaning or wall laddercomprise a pair of latches H and H, that T have suitable pivots u and aon the top of the platform I), near the front and ends there- I of, thepivots corresponding to the pivots The latches have pivot-holes v toreceive the pivots and recesses w at the sides of the holes to permitthe passage of the lugs 9 when assembling the parts, the lugs beingdesigned to retain the latches on the pivots. Each stud k extendsthrough a curved slot 00 in each latch and has its top split, so as toprevent the latch from rising from the platform b. Each latch has twoopposing abutments y and 1/, that are adapted to engage oppositesides ofa side piece F or F, and the free or swinging end of each latch has along curved guide edge 2, extending from the outer end of the abutment yand adapted to be engaged by the side piece for pushing open the latch.

in case it should not be open to receive the 7 side piece when moving itupwardly to form the ladder extension.

In order to provide an extensible prop when the apparatus is used as astep-ladder on stairs or similarly, a ladder-section I, having rounds Z,is connected movably to the side pieces F and F by means of guides I,and a hook J is connected to a round Z of section I and detachably to around Z of the ladder-prop for adjusting the position of the section I.

In some cases the step part and the prop part are pivotally connectedtogether by means of pivot-blocks K, attached to the side pieces of thestep part, pivot-blocks L, attached to the side pieces of theladder-prop part, and pivot-pins 19, additional pivotblocks L beingprovided for use in reducing the length of the ladder-prop part.

In practical use the ladder-section I may be hooked up, as in Figs. 1and 7, and the prop part and the step part may be folded with theirlower ends close together conveniently for carrying about. When sofolded, the latches G and G will hang downwardly, and in order to adjustthe apparatus as a step-ladder the lower end of the prop part is to bedrawn away from the step part until the latches G G drop into thenotches s at the tops of the side pieces thereof. If, then, it bedesired to lengthen the prop part, the section I may be moved so as toextend beyond the end of the prop part proper, as in Fig. 5, when thestep part may be placed upon a stairway or a window-sill or in similararrangements. The section I may be readily detached from the prop partproper when not needed for use. In order to convert the a paratus into aleanin or wall ladder, tlie latches G and G should be withdrawn from thenotches, and then the prop part should be moved about its pivots untilthe lower end moves up to a point in line with the step part, as in Fig.3, the side pieces becoming engaged automatically by the latches H andH, and thereby securely held.

The ladder may be shortened by changing the pivot-pins m m to the holesq in the side pieces. In order to again fold the apparatus, the latchesH H may be moved, as indicated in Fig. 12, when the ladder part will bereleased.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new is- 1. A step andextension ladder including a step part provided at the top thereof witha pair of oppositelydisposed guided latches movable transverselythereto, a ladder-prop pivoted to the step part and swin ing withinrange of the pair of latches to be latched thereby to the step part toform a continuous ladder in connection therewith.

2. A step and extension ladder including a step part provided at the topthereof with a pair of oppositely-disposed guided latches either movabletoward the other and each provided with an abutment having an inclinedguide extending from the outer end thereof, a ladder-prop pivoted to thestep part and swinging within range of the pair of latches so as to engae the inclined guides thereof and to be latched by the abutments ofthe'latches to form a continuous ladder in connection with the steppart.

3. A step and extension ladder comprising a step fpart provided at thetop thereof with a pair 0 oppositely-disposed pivoted latches movable ina horizontal plane, a ladder-prop pivoted to the step part and swingingwithin v a step range of the pair of latches to be latched thereby tothe step part to form a continuous ladder in connection therewith.

4. A step and extension ladder comprising art provided at the topthereof with a pair 0 movable latches having each a pair of opposingabutments, one abutment of each pair provided with an inclined guideextending from the outer end thereof, a ladder-prop pivoted to the steppart and having side pieces each fitting between a pair of the abutmentsof the latches.

5. A step and extenslon ladder comprising a step part having side piecesand a top platform, sup orts attached to the side pieces and the patform of the step part and supporting ivots and studs extending throughthe plat orm, latches movable on the platform and connected pivotally tothe pivots and guided by the studs of the supports and having each apair of opposing abutments, a ladder-prop having side pieces pivoted tothe side pieces of the step part and each fitting between a pair ofabutments of the latches.

6. A step and extension ladder comprising a step part having sidepieces, supports attached tothe side pieces of the step.part, a

ladder-prop having side pieces pivoted to the side pieces of the steppart and having notches in the upper ends thereof, and prop-latchessupported by the supports for engaging the side pieces of the prop partin the notches thereof.

7. A step and extension ladder comprising a step part having side piecesand a platform,

supports attached to the side pieces and the platform of the step partand provided with pivoting-thimbles extending through the side pieces aladderprop part and pivot-pins extendirig throug the pivoting-thimblesof the supports and also through parts of the prop part. p

8. A step and extension ladder comprising a step part having side piecesand a platform, a pair of oppositely-disposed gulded latches mounted onthe platform and movable one toward theother one, a ladder-prop pivotedto the step part and swinging within range of the pair of latches to belatched thereby to the step part to form a continuous ladder inconnection with the step part, and an extension-section connectedadjustably to the lad; der-prop.

9. A step and extension ladder comprising a step part provided at thetop thereof with a pair of oppositely-disposed guided latches .movableoppositely one to the other, a ladder-prop pivoted to the step partcapable of swinging within range of the pair of latches to be latchedthereby to the step part to form a continuous ladder in connectiontherewith,

and a pair of gravity prop-latches cooperating with the tops of the steppart and the ladder-prop to prevent the swinging ofthe ladder-prop.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FURL C. PLASTER.

Witnesses:

WM. H. PAYNE, E. T. SILVIUs.

